What's the point of it all?

I look around and see all our "stuff".   Not just me personally, but across America and many developed countries.

I used to dwell on this a lot but yesterday it seemed to come back all to clear.  There was no guilt involved.  There was no sense of urgency to sell everything and give to the poor.  It was just thinking about how awful it is.  And more of a "why?" is this the way it is then a what are you going to do about it thinking.

Somebody posed a question about killing another to maintain your lifestyle and how it flies in the face of Jesus and his teaching.  

Let's look here in 1 John 3 16-18,  "By this we know the love of God: that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  Whoever has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, but closes his heart of compassion from him, how can the love of God remain in him?  My little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth."  

Whoever has "stuff" and sees someone in need  and doesn't help,  John the Evangelist questions the love of God in them.  Think about that.  Those of us that claim to Love God with all our hearts and believe in the gospel of Jesus but live lives of excess.

I can't help but think this means exactly what Jesus says
it means.  We've distorted this verse to keep us comfortable.
It very much is about selling everything.  

I'm not bringing this up so we all judge what others give or don't give.  Most of us reading this were born into privilege.  We were born into comfort.  This is all we know.  So it's not a guilt trip.  It's a wake up call.  But you know something?  I don't know what to do or how to go about doing it.  There is enough wealth in American Christianity to wipe out world hunger.  I promise you that.  So what are we waiting for?  Permission?  Who's going to give us permission?  Who told us that life was about going to school, getting an education, get a job, buy a house, get married, have kids, save money, work for 40 years and retire.  Who made that the standard?  Honestly...that sounds really nice.  I can see how if we were born into that we'd think that it was our calling in life.  To be the best at that.

To switch gears...how many of us were brought up right into the church.  I wonder if Jesus were to visit the church today and all of it's wealth...I wonder if this is what he would say?

Take a look here, from Luke.  "When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment? It’s your life that must change, not your skin. And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as ‘father.’ Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.”

 The crowd asked him, “Then what are we supposed to do?”

 “If you have two coats, give one away,” he said. “Do the same with your food.”

 Tax men also came to be baptized and said, “Teacher, what should we do?”

 He told them, “No more extortion—collect only what is required by law.”

  Soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations.” "

It's pretty clear in the bible that Jesus is "anti-excess".  That the basic needs of all people are more important than anyones excessive lifestyle.  For most of us in America and developed countries we have our basic needs met.  We have basic needs stashed away for when we run out of basic needs.  We have money stashed away if we deplete all our basic needs.  We have so much excess it's ridiculous. What are we holding onto it for?  What are we afraid of?

I'll be very honest.  I look around the very room I'm sitting in.  I don't want to sell my guitars.  I like my guitars.  I know I can't play all 5 at once.  But if you put a starving kid next to my guitars and gave me a choice, I'd choose to feed the starving kid every time.  But the truth is...there is a starving kid next to my guitars.  They just live in another country.  And I can't see them.

I see my bikes.  I like riding my bike.  But I could feed a lot of kids if I sold them.  Why do I assume someone else will?  Why do I value my enjoyment of bike riding more than I enjoy feeding and housing hungry humans?  Why am I more important?  Who am I?  I've done nothing to deserve any of this.  Even if I did work hard for it...who am I to think that my comfort is more important than anothers.

So many people say this unwillingness to help the hungry and poor is a result of the "fall".  But it seems to be one of the only "sins" that they don't want to fix.  Because it potentially involves losing your comfort.  When did Jesus say he wants you to be safe and comfortable?

I would imagine that giving everything you have up for the sake of meeting the basic needs of others is difficult.  But I would bet any money it's worth it.

I'm beginning to think that heaven isn't a place you go when you die.  But it's here on earth.  When we begin to start doing the things Jesus said to do.  I would imagine something changes in us that lets us see the world a little bit differently.  That heaven is in your heart and it is a feeling of deep happiness and love.